Medical Examiner’s Office The role of Medical Examiner is a nationwide system which has been developed recently within all Hospital Trusts in England and Wales. A Medical Examiner is an independent senior consultant/doctor working at the hospital to ensure the information contained on the MCCD is accurate and that referrals to the coroner are performed in a timely and appropriate manner. The aim of the service is to: • provide bereaved families with clear information, and give them the opportunity to raise concerns • improve the quality/accuracy of MCCD • ensure referrals to coroners are appropriate • support local learning/improvement by identifying matters in need of clinical governance and related processes • provide the public with greater safeguards through improved and consistent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths, and support healthcare providers to improve care through better learning • align with related systems such as the Learning from Deaths Framework and Universal Mortality Reviews. You can find further information regarding the Medical Examiner Service on the trust web site.
Registering the death The Bereavement Office at the hospital will send the MCCD electronically to the Registrars Team. They will also send the Registrars Team your name and contact details. If the coroner has been involved, they will produce the relevant documentation and send it electronically to the Registrar Office. The coroner will also advise when they have done this. Until the Registrars Team receive the MCCD or coroner documentation, they are unable to complete the registration or offer an appointment. Once the Registrars Team have received all the relevant documentation, they will contact you by telephone to book you an appointment to attend the Registration Office to register the death. The Registrars Team will aim to contact you within one working day of receiving the MCCD or coroner documentation. Please do not contact the Registrars Team, they will contact you.
Guidance & Support for the Bereaved
Page 7 of 16
